MyTherapist turns a Douban spreadsheet into China's leading digital therapy platform

After returning from London with a master’s in cognitive neuropsychology, Zhen Li began writing about psychotherapy on Douban under the nickname "Jane Whisperer." Her posts resonated, attracting hundreds of thousands of followers who asked for therapist referrals, revealing a strong latent demand for accessible mental-health support among China’s urban middle class.

In 2014 Li transformed her spreadsheet of therapist contacts into a "hospital in the air," launching MyTherapist with two investors and an office in Zhongguancun. By 2020 the platform had raised over $1 million in venture capital, employed 40 staff, worked with 240 vetted therapists, and logged about 300 consultation calls per day, becoming a prominent digital-therapy brand in China.

By 2020 MyTherapist had raised over $1 million in venture capital, employed 40 staff, partnered with 240 vetted therapists, and averaged 300 daily consultation calls.

Rising mental-health awareness among China’s urban middle class created a sizable but underserved market for therapy services.

The stigma around seeking psychological help was weakening, especially after events like the 2008 Sichuan earthquake highlighted the value of mental-health support.

Mobile internet penetration and social-media platforms like Douban enabled low-cost validation of demand and direct outreach to potential users.

Identifying latent demand through community engagement can justify building a niche digital service; early validation via content and a spreadsheet can attract investors and scale a trusted network.

MyTherapist continues to operate alongside competitors such as Yixinli and KnowYourself, offering subscription-based counseling, self-help courses, and corporate wellness programs. Its growth illustrates how a content-driven founder can identify a cultural shift, validate it with a simple tool, and scale a technology-enabled service that meets a pressing social need in a rapidly changing market.